The Irish standard., 1887-01-01
The following gentlemen are autho-
riZed agents for The IRISH STANDARD
in their respective localities:
NEW YEARS 1887.

of many of our readers, all the bell
which swing in the countless towers o
Christendom will have rung out tn
year of our Lord 1885 and ushered il
that of 1887. Though 1886 is dead, tn
events which have transpired during it
existence will live long in the minds O
many people. It would be an uneventfu
life, indeed, that Of a person who would
not be able to recall in the dim vista o1
the far-off future something of more OF
less Importance that occurred to him in
1886.
In the United States, the year just ex
pired has left particularly marked i'm
preston in regard to the large number
of deaths of prominent men that have oc
Cured. Men who have stood high in
the esteem of their fellow -countrymen,
and men who have been identified fol
decades with the politics of the Repub.
lie, have passed away, and into that life
which knows no waking until the
Resur1 ection Morn. When we recall
the prominent roles played in the
worlds drama by such men as Samuel
j. Tilden, Chester A. Arthur and John
A. Logan, it seems as if 1886 had been
more cruel than it's predecessors, mas
much as it has robbed us of men of
such great individual worth.
In matters pertaining to religion, it
might be mentioned that the Catholic
Church is to be congratulated on the
grand strides of progress she has made
during the year. Of the thousand and
one sects now existing on the face OF
the earth, all combined, do not show
anything like the advancement that has
been made by the Church. The great
est minds of the day have been con.
verted to the true religion, statistics
show tremendous increase in mem.
bership, and it will please every true
Catholic to learn that the Church enters
the year 1887 with great vigor and
promise, and all this notwithstand-
ing the fact that great efforts have been
made by sectarian fanatics to do the
true religion mischief. The Rock has
not even been shaken.
But, alas! what can we say for poor,
unfortunate old Ireland to-day. New
Years Day will always be remembered
by Irishmen as the anniversary of two
very important events in their country
history. Ninety-one years ago to-day
Theobald Wolfe Tone sailed from New
York to. Paris to seek French aid fol
Ireland; and the notorious Act o1
.sUnion" between England and Ireland
q came into operation on January l, 1901
And after all these intervening yearE
what different feelings arise in th'
breast of every true-born Irishman, Al
he recalls the motive which animated
Wolfe Tone to undertake the perilou'
trip to France with the hope of assist
ing his country, and as he contemplate'
the deplorable Act of "Union" which
deprived Ireland Of her birthright-hel
own Parliament, and the last vestige 0!
her freedom But the events Of th'
past few days would seem to indicate
that the happiest year for Irelant
of the nineteenth century will b'
that of 1887. Europe is on. tlf'
verge Of q great war into whict
England must inevitably be pre-
cipitated, and what could she do without
the aid Of Ireland in the event Of such 8
crisis. England knows that Ireland il
/ shar present unsettled condition could
not not be- depended upon for any assist.
I &, a1,ce. ~, 3 and the outcome Of such 9 wal